Buying and reselling holstien bull calves

[garybob]

  In today's current market, if the dairy gave you the calves and you fed them up to 400/700lbs you would lose money. The milk replacer/feed is too high for what they will bring. The last 2 sales that I have attended, the holstein steers bring between$40 & $50 dolllars per 100lbs.

Get the Braden Dry-Start Bottle, and, they'll be on grain and chewing a cud at 3 weeks old. These bottles are sold by Nasco and Valley Vet, or, you can order 'em direct out of Sulphur Springs, TX.

GB

 

[WBar Farms]

Here in colorado the prices are pretty good 80 to 90 dollars a hundred so not bad.

 

[Mark H]

When I was in High School I used to have 30 pail bunters on nipple buckets at anyone time.  I milked 4 head of cows by hand and that is where the milk went.  I did not confine myself to holstein calves.  If a beef cow rejected a calf or the cow died I would raise that calf.  It takes extreme attention to detail, the highest quality feed, and good buildings.  It is also plenty of work sinceyou are feeding milk and calf starter and dairy hay at least twice a day.  Cleanliness and good bedding are vital so you will clean their pens often.
Generally we kept them on milk for 2 moths before weaning them and putting them on high quality hay and oats.
Does it pay?  Put an honest pencil to it to figure that out.  if you want to do it figure what you can pay for calves given the cost of feed and milk replacer (if you do not have a milk cow) and disciplined on not paying more.  That way you might make a little money.  Given the time commitment you may consider a job at the local McDonald's as at least you will be paid for your time.